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Laptop Questions

Alright, once again I am back with some laptop questions:

A)Let's say a laptop comes with a 15gig HD, and the user wanted to, maybe in the future, upgrade to a bigger one. Is that possible? I mean, we all know on desktops, you can just take the shell cover off and replace the HD, but how does that work in laptops?

B)Kind of the same general question, but this is for memory. Is the memory you get for desktops, the same kind of memory you can get for laptops? I'm more along the lines asking about size/brand...And/or is the way you replace them the same?

I would appreciate any help you could give. My knowledge of laptops is VERY limited.
Thanks.

...the scent of your hair as you twirl in your fingers, and the time on the clock, when we realized that it\'s so late, and this walk that we shared....together!

I THINK you can upgrade the hard drive on a laptop, but I'm not sure. I don't know why you would want to do that though, since laptops aren't worth doing that kind of thing to. Laptops aren't meant to be high-power computers. A laptop is simply a computer that you can use to do your work on the go. They're also prone to failing, as a lot of hardware quality is lost in the effort to shrink it to fit in the machine. They're also not meant to be taken apart. If you want do do something that requires a 30 gig hard drive, you should seriously consider a desktop machine before going and upgrading your laptop. They're just not worth it.

On the contary, laptops are relatively easy to upgrade and can be done so just like any other PC.
OK, so it may not seem as easy as a desktop PC, but the principals are the same, get in there with your favourite screw driver.
The hard drives are usually tiny little 2.5 inch types with a smaller connection than what you are probably used to.
The memory could quite possibly be propriatary to that machine and will need to be ordered as such.
Getting into the machine usually means having to take the battery out first.
Honestly if you feel competant enough to build your own desktop PC then you should have no problems finding you way around a laptop.
I sort of agree with stflook on the point that they aren't really supposed to be high end machines.
However they are getting more and more powerful by the day and IMOH the only reason they are as powerful as desktops is because it is so expensive to upgrade them.
I use an IBM T22 at work and does exactly what I want it to do and quickly.
Saying that I mainly use it for telnet or console sessions on routers, so not exactly memory intensive I know, but it runs Win2K pro SP2 really well.

Just to clarify, I didn't say they're not easy to pull apart, just that they're not meant to be.

I don't think they're getting more powerful because they're not meant to be upgraded, but rather the elements of competition and consumer-stupidity. Most computer buyers don't know much about computers, and just lean toward the high-end machines in awe and forget the fact that they will never need all that power. If they needed all that, their desktop would be just amazing. I do think the upgrade thing is an issue, though.

laptop upgrades are easy. yes the only things you can generally upgrade are the RAM and HD, some can do video and sound etc...... you want one to replace a desktop ? Dell Inspiron 8100's are good replacements (48GB drive) up to 1 GB RAM. there is a newer gateway model that can take 2 hard drives as well. So, laptops can replace your desktop in many ways. all that stuff may break in a laptop...but thats why they come with 3 year warranty's.

Antionline in a nutshell
\"You\'re putting the fate of the world in the hands of a bunch of idiots I wouldn\'t trust with a potato gun\"

I think we may have found one for my friend. I had to step out of the realm of "what I would want" and into what "he actually needs." He won't ever be using it like I would, so I didn't have to load it up with all of the stuff that would better suit me.

It's a hard thing to do. Basically being the person who picks out/builds a computer for a friend that knows absolutely nothing about computers. You try and explain to them the differences and advantages/disadvantages to a lot of components and they look at you and say, "So, can I check my email with it?"

Frustration abounds.
Thanks a lot guys.

...the scent of your hair as you twirl in your fingers, and the time on the clock, when we realized that it\'s so late, and this walk that we shared....together!

Originally posted by hogfly laptop upgrades are easy. yes the only things you can generally upgrade are the RAM and HD, some can do video and sound etc...... you want one to replace a desktop ? Dell Inspiron 8100's are good replacements (48GB drive) up to 1 GB RAM. there is a newer gateway model that can take 2 hard drives as well. So, laptops can replace your desktop in many ways. all that stuff may break in a laptop...but thats why they come with 3 year warranty's.

Yes the Dell Inspiron is a very good choice, it has a large display and is mainly used by programmers